Search

The electrical impedance of dilute aqueous solutions containing extracts from five brands of canned tuna is analyzed using impedance spectroscopy in order to analyze their salt content and detect the potential presence of other salts beyond the well-stated NaCl. A complex electrical impedance is modeled with an equivalent electrical circuit, demonstrating good agreement with experimental data. This circuit accounts for the contribution of ions in the bulk solution, as well as those contributing to electrode polarization. The parameters describing the equivalent circuits, obtained through fitting data to the electrical impedance, are discussed in terms of the various ion contributions to both the electrical double layer at the electrode interface and the electrical conductivity of each solution. The ionic contribution to the electrical impedance is compared with that of a pure NaCl solution at the same concentration range. This comparison, when extended to real samples, allows for the development of a model to estimate the electrical conductivity of canned tuna samples, thereby determining the salt concentration in tuna. The model enables differentiation among the various samples of tuna studied. Subsequently, the potential presence of other ions besides Na+ and Cl− and their contribution to the electrical properties of each canned tuna extract is considered, especially for samples with a higher ratio of the sum of K+ and phosphates to Na+ concentration. This analysis shows the potential of impedance spectroscopy for on-site and rapid analysis of salt content and/or detection of additives in canned tuna fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed at treating condensate wastewater from the by-product of production processes in the canned tuna factories for recycling into fish oil production by reducing pH and deodorization using activated carbon, Eunicarb ID 900. The research began with batch adsorption to study the effect of pH 7-9 on the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal (parameters representing odor) followed by continuous adsorption at the production plant using 15 cm diameter and 150 cm height adsorber. The result showed that a faster initial adsorption rate was achieved at lower pH while higher equilibrium COD removal was obtained at higher pH with the highest 90% COD removal. The adsorption was fitted well with Pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich's isotherm. It was found that this treatment could not only removed the odor but also produced higher water quality which meets the limitation of water for fish oil extraction manufacturing. Subsequently this research suggested a six-month operation cycle based on the result operated at an actual condensate production rate of 2.5 m3/h. No effect in both quantitative and qualitative quality of fish oil was observed after processing with the treated condensate. The economic assessment for the existing plant evaluates a payback period of 2.86 y, reveals it is readiness to be adopted for the factory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canned tuna is a good source of nutrients and minerals that must be included in food. However, there are risks associated with canned fish, such as bacterial and chemical contamination causing risk hazards to consumers. 150 samples of various canned tuna brands (50 of each solid, chunk and crumbled tuna) were collected from different supermarkets in Elfaiyoum Governorate to determine bacteriological and chemical quality. The results showed that crumbled tuna's aerobic plate count was the highest (9.70×103±4.70×103). In contrast, the total anaerobic count was the highest in chunk tuna (6.68×103±3.16×103). 19.3% of samples were contaminated with Vibrio spp. Additionally, V. parahaemolyticus was detected in chunk and crumbled tuna at 12% and 18%, respectively, with no detection in solid tuna samples. Furthermore, 32% of samples have Aeromonas spp. However, A. hydrophila was found in 20% of the examined samples. Proximate analysis revealed that the crumbled tuna recorded the highest value of moisture content (68.12±0.5) and fat content (11.23±0.25); meanwhile, solid tuna had a higher protein value (24.10±0.33). Concerning the cholesterol content (mg/100gm), a high concentration was recorded in crumbled tuna and chunk tuna samples, with a mean value of 44.62± 1.3 and 42.3± 1.02, respectively, followed by solid tuna, with a mean value of 39.72 ± 1.02. Furthermore, solid tuna samples had the lowest histamine concentrations with a mean value of 48.33±1.12 ppm. In contrast, crumbled and chunk tuna had the highest concentrations of 62.66±1.59 and 56.00±1.86 ppm. In conclusion, canned tuna have accepted chemical parameters. However, they might be regarded as a risk for microbiological hazards; thus, competent authorities and food business operators should pay careful attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nutritional quality and concentration of heavy and toxic metals in the fresh and canned tuna Thunnus tonggol at different storage periods. The content of iron, zinc, copper, mercury, and also macronutrient compounds in the Iranian fresh and canned tuna fish and the effects of thermal processing and subsequent storage on metal contents were evaluated using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The results showed that the levels of iron, zinc, copper, and mercury after the 6th, 9th, and 11th months of storage were 26.52, 10.83, 6.22, and 0.04 mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of iron, zinc, copper, and mercury in the fresh fish were 11.03, 7.11, 1.71, and 0.03 mg/kg, respectively. The results of the statistical analysis of the samples showed that canning process and sterilization by autoclave increased the contents of elements except mercury to a significant level (p <.05). The results showed that the amount of fat significantly increased in all samples after storage (p <.05), but the ash and protein content significantly decreased (p <.05). The moisture content significantly increased (p <.05) except for the 9th month of storage. The obtained results showed that the energy value after 6 months of storage was the highest (297.53 kcal/100 g). The results showed that the bioaccumulation of copper, iron, zinc, and mercury in the fresh and canned muscles was lower than the standard concentration recommended by the FAO and WHO. This type of fish was a high‐quality food source and it was safe after 11 months of storage and was suitable for human consumption. Therefore, the consumption of Iranian canned tuna can be safe for human health despite the possible contamination with heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the mixing of low-quality species in canned products, especially in fishery products, is considered as one of the most important problems of monitoring some food industry production units. Among the new methods of detecting counterfeits, genetic methods such as DNA barcoding have high accuracy and precision. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate the fraud in canned Iranian tuna fish produced using DNA barcoding, by cytochrome oxidase 1 detector. In this research, canned tuna stuffed with one piece of meat and canned tuna stuffed with chopped meat from different brands available in the market were collected from different regions of the country. The samples after DNA extraction and optimizing its process, were subjected to PCR by cytochrome oxidase 1 gene and then sequenced. The results of the sequencing showed that out of 100 canned samples examined, 80 samples have 97% genetic similarity to the fish listed on the can label, 18 samples have 90% genetic similarity to short fish. (Sillaginidae), and 3 samples belonged to 3 different fish species. Among these, only 3 samples were related to canned tuna prepared from one piece of meat. The results showed that this method is very useful due to its high speed and accuracy, for canned fish, where DNA parts may be lost during the canning process and it can be used to check the amounts of fraud in processed foods are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorrect labeling, as well as the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in seafood, represent a recurring problem worldwide, not only for natural resources but also for the consumers' health. Heavy metals can be accumulated through the food chain and transferred to the final human consumer. Despite its toxicology, arsenic does not have a concentration limit on food, unlike other heavy metals like cadmium, mercury, and lead. Tuna species, with a worldwide distribution and high per capita consumption, represent a well-known toxicological issue caused by heavy metals. In this context, 80 samples of canned tuna were analyzed to check if the information contained in the label was correct and complete. Genetic identification was made by sequencing a fragment of 16S rDNA from 80 samples. For the heavy metal quantification, only those samples with the complete FAO fishing area information on the label were analyzed. Only 29 out of 80 samples presented enough information on the labels for the analysis. Some of the canned tuna commercialized in Spanish markets surpassed the safety standard levels established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Activities (JECFA) under the consumption rates of 300 g and 482 g per week. However, the carcinogenic risk (CRlim) for arsenic in all cans and all scenarios was higher than the safety levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canned tuna is one of the most commonly consumed food products globally. Due to its high profitability and the increasing demand for it, fraudulent canned tuna products have become a serious problem. The traceability of fish species in packaged material and, in the case of highly processed forms, in canned products, has become impossible; therefore, canned tuna is on the list of the top ten food items affected by fraud. These fraudulent actions cause not only unfair trade in the commercial market and fishing industry, but also cause health damage (such as allergies and poisoning) to the public. Complex food matrices also affect the extracted DNA quality when the main food products are served with another medium. Brine solutions, different kind of oil, and several types of sauce are used as filling medium in the canned tuna production process. These filling medium can cause contamination depending on whether they include oil, salt or other ingredients during DNA extraction from main products. DNA-based protocols have become popular due to their higher reliability rate compared to other protocols. This research investigates the potential impact of can-filling medium on DNA quality, which is a key factor for food traceability research. With this aim, canned tuna from various brands in different can-filling medium such as olive oil, sunflower oil and different kinds of sauces, were obtained from a Turkish supermarket. The quality properties, such as yield and purity, affected the traceability analyses. This study was designed to investigate the potential effect of the filling medium on DNA quality. The results revealed that different kinds of sauce utilization as a can-filling medium cause a reduction in the DNA quality of canned tuna compared to other canned tuna samples that contain olive oil and sunflower oil. The purity of extracted DNA in canned tuna where olive oil was used was found to be relatively higher than other tuna groups with different can-filling medium. Melting curve analyses revealed that sunflower oil causes relatively lower degradation than olive oil and different types of sauce used as filling medium. These results could be beneficial for further seafood traceability research, especially in complex matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canned tuna is considered one of the most popular and most commonly consumed products in the seafood market, globally. However, in past decades, fish allergens have been detected as the main concern regarding food safety in these seafood products and are listed as the top eight food allergies. In the group of fish allergens, parvalbumin is the most common. As a thermally stable and calcium-binding protein, parvalbumin can be easily altered with changing the food matrices. This study investigated the effect of a can-filling medium (tomato sauce, spices, and brine solutions) on the parvalbumin levels in canned tuna. The effect of pH, calcium content, and the DNA quality of canned tuna was also investigated before the parvalbumin-specific encoded gene amplification. The presence of fish allergens was determined by melting curve analyses and confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The obtained results showed that the presence of parvalbumin in commercially canned tuna was driven by can-filling mediums, thermal conductivity, calcium content, and the acidity of various ingredients in food matrices. The intra-specific differences revealed a variation in fish allergens that are caused by cryptic species. This study proved that allergens encoding gene analyses by agarose electrophoresis could be used as a reliable approach for other food-borne allergens in complex food matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research was conducted to evaluate chemically and organoleptically some imported canned tuna sold in local supermarkets in Assiut governorate. The number of collected samples randomly was 90 canned tuna. The organoleptic assessment was done using 9-point hedonic scale ranging from dislike extremely (1) to like extremely (9). Proximate composition analysis was carried out for drained samples of canned tuna to determine moisture, crude protein, crude lipid and ash following the methodologies of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. The results revealed that canned tuna samples contained high percentage of crude protein that ranged from 22.50% to 28.10%, with a mean value of 25.23±0.14. The moisture percentage of the examined samples varied from 61.35% to 73.55%, with a mean value of 66.24±0.26%, while total fat values varied from 0.86% to 16.68%, with a mean value of 7.32±0.40%. Ash percentage of the examined samples ranged from 0.33% to 3.18%, with a mean value of 1.47±0.07%. While total cholesterol content values of the examined samples varied from 34.62 to 51.48, with a mean value of 39.61±0.40 mg/100gm. Total carbohydrate content, caloric value, calcium content, phosphorus cont ent, free fatty acids content (%) and fatty acid composition (%) of canned tuna samples were detected in all examined samples. From the obtained results, it is evident that all the examined canned tuna were accepted organoleptically and were considered saf e for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New variants of canned skipjack tuna have been developed by large manufacturers of canned tuna in the Philippines. This study analyzes the expenditure and price elasticities of canned tuna and determines the implications for sustainable fishery. An AIDS (almost ideal demand system) model incorporating an income group variable was used to estimate these elasticities. This study utilized a pooled time series data of 459 weekly point-of-sale observations from 2010–2012 of three store branches of a large supermarket chain in southern Philippines. The point-of-sale data suggest that canned tuna consumption is composed mostly of tuna in sauce with vegetables followed by tuna in oil and tuna in sauce without vegetables. For both high- and low-income groups, the expenditure elasticities have the expected positive signs – indicating that as the income of consumers’ increases, the quantity demanded for canned tuna in three product mediums also increases. For high-income consumers, consumption of tuna in sauce with and without vegetables is more responsive to income changes. The own-price elasticities of the three product mediums across high- and low-income store branches have negative signs – suggesting that as their own price increases, the quantity demanded for these products decreases. The cross-price elasticities suggest that tuna in sauce with vegetables is a substitute for tuna in oil and in sauce without vegetables for both income groups. Thus, promoting more use of vegetables through product development may lead to a lower volume of tuna meat used in canned tuna products, which contributes to addressing tuna resource sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some heavy metals are harmful and dangerous and cause many risks for food and public health. Also accumulated in fish such as tuna fish as a result of contaminated water or during transport, processing or canning. The present study was conducted to measure the concentration of some heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Al, Hg, Ni, Co and Cr) in canned tuna of five brands. Materials and Methods: Forty canned tuna samples from five brands were examined to determine their metal concentration. The samples were collected from supermarkets found in Assiut city (Egypt) from June 2017 to November 2017. The metals were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer Perkin Elymer (Analyst 400) for Pb, Cd, Co, Ni and Cr while Hg was estimated by using ICP (iCAP 6200) and Al was determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (ZEEnit700P). Results: The results revealed that the levels (ppm wet weight) of metals were as following in the examined five brands: (1) Lead: 1.984±0.156 (1.378-2.256), 2.581±0.401 (1.305-3.778), 1.804±0.244 (1.190-2.425), 2.030±0.424 (1.144-3.459), 1.752±0.250 (1.200-2.616) while in total samples was 2.030±0.141 (1.144-3.778). (2) Cadmium: 0.617±0.04 (0.467-0.696), 0.681±0.043 (0.536-0.778), 0.615±0.041 (0.516-0.720), 0.651±0.053 (0.519-0.747), 0.701±0.038 (0.561-0.792) while in total samples was 0.653±0.019 (0.467-0.792). (3) Aluminum: 3.545±0.017 (3.510-3.605), 3.707±0.058 (3.500-3.858), 3.525±0.125 (3.152-3.938), 3.676±0.044 (3.524-3.799), 3.635±0.159 (3.074-4.049), while in total samples was 3.617±0.042 (3.074-4.049). (4) Mercury: 6.640±0.075 (6.385-6.807), 5.105±0.025 (5.039-5.171), 6.823±0.077 (6.611-7.035), 2.948±0.120 (2.615-3.281), 1.745±0.156 (1.301-2.189), while in total samples was 4.652±0.413 (1.301-7.035). (5) Nickel: 2.035±0.148 (1.444-2.202), 1.948±0.155 (1.375-2.302), 1.924±0.159 (1.531-2.250), 1.906±0.215 (1.384-2.352), 1.957±0.127 (1.548-2.283), while in total samples was 1.954±0.067 (1.384-2.352). (6) Cobalt: 1.322±0.149 (0.765-1.656), 1.757±0.082 (1.515-1.957), 2.089±0.165 (1.607-2.525), 2.511±0.123 (2.160-2.785), 2.719±0.110 2.381-3.072), while in total samples was 2.080±0.16 (0.765-3.072). (7) Chromium: 0.246±0.100 (0.000-0.573), 0.039±0.03 (0.000-0.156), ND, ND, 0.030±0.023 (0.000-0.120), while in total samples was 0.063±0.027 (ND-0.573). In this study, the Target Health Quotient (THQ) in the total examined tuna samples was 0.219-0.323 (0.254) for Pb, 0.308- 0.351 (0.327) for Cd, 0.00176-0.00185 (0.00181) for Al, 2.913-11.380 (7.757) for Hg, 0.047-0.051 (0.049) for Ni, 0.033-0.049 (0.052) for Co and 0.00001-0.000082 (0.000035) for Cr while the Hazard Health Index (HI) for all metals was 11.709for brand 1, 9.268 for brand 2, 12.015 for brand 3, 5.604 for brand 4, 3.601for brand 5, all of these are exceeding 1. Conclusion: The calculated hazard index (HI) in this study in all examined canned tuna in all brands exceeds 1. The data indicate that the examined canned tuna were polluted with Pb, Cd, Al, Hg and Ni. Hazard indices for the estimated metals in these canned tuna imply that excessive and continuous intake of these tuna could result in chronic adverse health effects on the consumers. However, consumption of large quantities of these canned tuna increases human exposure to the risk especially of Hg toxicity. Recommendation: It recommended that more studies for assessment for quality control should be done to help safeguard the health consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population of Hawai'i has traditionally been high in average fish consumption when compared to the national average. However, information is lacking on patterns of fish consumption among subpopulations. Data on fish consumption in the last 30 days from 11,293 adults was collected with the use of the Hawai'i Health Survey (an annual telephone survey of households and household members) during the years 2007 and 2008 and weighted to represent the adult population of Hawai'i. The US Department of Agriculture's, Environmental Protection Agency, and the United States Food and Drug Administration, recommend 8-12 ounces of fish per week for associated health benefits. Present estimates of fish consumption were skewed to the right (mean 10.5 and median 7.9 ounces) with some adults eating large amounts of fish per day and frequently. It may be of concern, given high amounts of methylmercury in select fish, that 13.7% of adults were eating fish 20 or more times per month. In addition, the serving size increased with increasing number of times per week fish was eaten. The subpopulation variables examined included age, sex, marital status, education, ethnicity, poverty, and demographics representing the adults of Hawai'i. The prevalence of adults consuming 8 or more ounces was highest for other than Honolulu counties, men, ages 18-74, married, with at least one year of college, Filipino and Native Hawaiian ethnicities (White, Japanese, Chinese, and All Others were also examined), employed, and adults living with higher income levels (lower poverty). However, only an estimated 46.9% of adults in Hawai'i were eating the eight or more ounces of fish weekly. Prevalence was lowest for women, Chinese, age >74 years, and the City and County of Honolulu. Adults who rated their general health better (excellent/good compared to fair/poor) were more likely to consume 8 or more ounces of fish per week, significantly for men. Men who rated their physical health higher and their mental health higher (via Optum SF™ Health Surveys) were associated with higher prevalence of consuming 8 or more ounces of fish per week. Higher consumption of the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids associated with fish low in methylmercury needs to be encouraged for those not meeting the recommended ounces of fish per week, particularly women, Chinese, older age groups, and adults living below the poverty level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total mercury (tHg) concentrations in commercially available canned tuna and in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacores) and frigate tuna (Auxis thazard) caught from the waters of Eastern Visayas, Philippines were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry. The average total mercury concentrations measured from nine frigate tuna, three yellowfin tuna, and four canned tuna were 0.024 ug/g, 0.002 ug/g, and 0.07 ug/g, respectively. Values of estimated daily intake for locally caught tuna for different age groups and sex were calculated. Calculated daily dose for all locally caught tuna in the study were well below the allowed concentration of mercury in fish consumed per day regardless of age and sex, and thus may not pose a health risk to consumers. The same calculations were done for canned tuna with results further explained in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increase in seafood-related illnesses as a consequence of an increase in seafood consumption has been documented recently. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has identified histamine as the major chemical hazard of seafood. The aim of this study was to determine histamine levels in 227 production lots (2043 subsamples) of canned tuna, canned sardines, canned mackerel and smoked salmon obtained from Serbian retail stores in 2018. Levels of histamine were determined using high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry. In addition, we compared histamine levels found in analysed products with levels established by the European Commission (EC) and FDA. Mean levels of histamine in compliant lots, according to EC Regulation 2073/2005, were 9.21, 3.16, 3.34 and 5.22 mg/kg in canned tuna, canned sardines, canned mackerel and smoked salmon, respectively. The highest histamine levels were found in canned tuna and canned mackerel, 1112 mg/kg and 412 mg/kg, respectively. Histamine was detected in 468 (22.91%) of all analysed subsamples. Levels above 100 mg/kg, which is the maximum histamine level allowed in canned fi sh in the EU, were found in 38 (1.86%) of analysed subsamples. According to EC Regulation 2073/2005, six (2.64%) of all analysed lots were found non-compliant, while 21 (9.25%) of analysed lots should be rejected according to the FDA limit (50 mg/kg) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histamine is one of the most important health issues associated with consumption of canned tuna because of possible allergic and anaphylactic reactions in consumers. Although the concentrations of histamine in tuna in Iran have been investigated in several studies, definitive conclusions are elusive. This study was undertaken as a systematic review and meta-analysis of the concentration and prevalence of histamine in Iranian canned tuna, and the related health risk was assessed. An extensive search of articles in the databases Scopus, PubMed, and Scientific Information Database resulted in 11 articles and a total of 693 samples for inclusion in this review. The minimum and maximum concentrations of histamine were determined as 8.59 ± 14.24 and 160.52 ± 87.59 mg kg−1, respectively. The mean concentration was calculated as 77.86 mg kg−1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 47.51 to 108.21 mg kg−1), which was lower than the 200 mg kg−1 recommended limit by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The mean prevalence of histamine was 9.19% (95% CI, 6.88 to 11.5%). The 95% value of the target hazard quotient for adult consumers was calculated as 0.10. In all studies performed in Iran, the concentration of histamine in canned tuna was lower than FDA standard. Health risk assessment indicated low histamine risk (target hazard quotient < 1) for adults in Iran from consumption of canned tuna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human consumption of fish protein, including canned tuna fish, is increasing steadily worldwide. However, there are some concerns about the potential exposure to elevated concentrations of metals in canned tuna fish. Several studies have been conducted in Iran regarding the concentration of metals in seafood, including copper (Cu), selenium (Se), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), tin (Sn), and cadmium (Cd) in canned tuna fish. The main aim of this study was to gather data from existing papers and to perform a meta-analysis of the pooled concentrations of metals to evaluate their non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks in children and adults consumers. Search was conducted retrieving data from the international biomedical databases with highly public access and consultation, e.g., Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus, and national database (SID and Irandoc) between 1983 and November of 2017. Data from 23 articles and 1295 samples were assessed and extracted. The ranking order of metals based on mean concentrations (μg/g wet weight) were Fe (13.17) > Zn (9.31) > Se (2.23) > Al (1.8) > Cr (1.63) > Cu (1.52) > As (0.38) > Ni (0.33) > Pb (0.24) > Cd (0.14) > Hg (0.11) > Sn (0.1). Except for Cd and Se, concentrations of other metals in the canned tuna fish were lower than the limits recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Iran National Standards Organization (INSO). The minimum and maximum target hazard quotient (THQ) for adults were 5.55E-5 for Al and 2.23E-08 for Cr. For children, they were 7.23E-05 for Al and 2.91E-08 for Cr. THQ, and total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) were ≤1.0 for adult and children consumers. The Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) of As was 3.21E-5 in adults and 4.18E-5 in children. Adults and children that consume canned tuna fish in Iran are not at non-carcinogenic risk but have a carcinogenic risk due to As. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decline in marine and freshwaters catches in recent years in Colombia has led to a change in dietary habits, with an increase in the purchase and consumption of imported fish. This is of particular concern as fish are sometimes caught in mercury-contaminated waters, and are subsequently sold canned or uncanned. In addition, canned tuna has received little attention as it is widely assumed that concentrations are low. In this study, total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations were evaluated in three imported fish species marketed in Colombia, Prochilodus lineatus, Prochilodus reticulatus, and Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, plus four brands of canned tuna and one of sardines. One brand of tuna showed the highest mean concentrations of THg (0.543 ± 0.237 μg/g, wet weight, ww) and MeHg (0.518 ± 0.337 μg/g ww), while concentrations in P. hypophthalmus were approximately 30 times lower (≈0.02 µg/g ww). The estimated weekly intake (EWI) in children was above the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of MeHg established by the Joint FAO/World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) in 2007, 1.6 μg/kg body weight (bw) per week, for all the canned tuna brands. Values for adults were below PTWI, whereas for women of childbearing age, values were above PTWI only for brand D of canned tuna. The estimate of the potential risk indicated that MeHg levels in canned tuna can generate negative effects in vulnerable groups, while the EWI of fresh fish did not pose a threat to the general population. Therefore, establishing strategies to address the high consumption of canned tuna, and continuous monitoring to control commercial food, are recommended to decrease Hg exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to hygienic risks of mercury residues in food and marine originated supplements, measuring total mercury and methyl mercury contents of canned tuna as a highly consumable marine food product is essential. In this study, 40 canned Tuna fish (from Persian Gulf) were collected in 2015 and then flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS) and thermo gas chromatography mass spectrophotometry were used to measure total mercury and methyl mercury, respectively. The results indicated that the average contents of total mercury and methyl mercury of the canned tunas, with 34.2 and 29.5 ppb decrements compared with 2009's measurement, were 177.4 and 143.7 ppb respectively. The highest concentration of the total mercury was 315.2 while it was 267.9 ppb for methyl mercury. This study showed that the content of the mercury in canned tunas of the Persian Gulf was less than the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes consumer preferences toward Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) aspects of canned tuna fish in relation to environmental and social responsibility. The analysis investigates the different existing labeled standards on canned tuna fish, evaluating the effects of such CSR-labeled information on market price and consumer choice. Data collection was carried out at a retail store and respondents were interviewed only after they had put a tin of canned tuna fish, chosen from among those available in the real choice set, in their shopping basket. Data were analyzed using two different, but complementary, methods: hedonic pricing and random utility models. Results show that consumers are in search of environmental and social sustainability attributes for canned tuna fish. Indeed, especially concerning the environmental dimension, consumers prefer green products more than their ordinary counterparts. The findings indicate that products with environmental certifications are priced higher than regular non-certified products, while those with social certifications are priced similarly to regular products. With regards to consumer choice, canned tuna with environmental or social certifications is preferred as opposed to the non-certified product, with both types of certifications showing a similar willingness to pay. The willingness to pay for such products seems to increase, ceteris paribus , with income and decrease with age. By combining the experimental findings of the two models adopted, managerial and policy implications are drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment to validate the precooking of tuna as a control for histamine formation was carried out at a commercial tuna factory in Fiji. Albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) were brought on board long-line catcher vessels alive, immediately chilled but never frozen, and delivered to an on-shore facility within 3 to 13 days. These fish were then allowed to spoil at 25 to 30°C for 21 to 25 h to induce high levels of histamine (>50 ppm), as a simulation of ''worst-case'' postharvest conditions, and subsequently frozen. These spoiled fish later were thawed normally and then precooked at a commercial tuna processing facility to a target maximum core temperature of 60°C. These tuna were then held at ambient temperatures of 19 to 37°C for up to 30 h, and samples were collected every 6 h for histamine analysis. After precooking, no further histamine formation was observed for 12 to 18 h, indicating that a conservative minimum core temperature of 60°C pauses subsequent histamine formation for 12 to 18 h. Using the maximum core temperature of 60°C provided a challenge study to validate a recommended minimum core temperature of 60°C, and 12 to 18 h was sufficient to convert precooked tuna into frozen loins or canned tuna. This industrialscale process validation study provides support at a high confidence level for the preventive histamine control associated with precooking. This study was conducted with tuna deliberately allowed to spoil to induce high concentrations of histamine and histamine-forming capacity and to fail standard organoleptic evaluations, and the critical limits for precooking were validated. Thus, these limits can be used in a hazard analysis critical control point plan in which precooking is identified as a critical control point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuna is a food widely consumed fresh and canned as well. After catching and filleting, a pre-cooking step is normally followed by freezing and shipping to canning industry as loins. The aim of this paper was to assess the microbiological quality and safety of tuna loins (50 samples) imported by an Italian canned tuna producer from two different FAO fishing areas. Total bacterial count (TBC), Coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio cholera, pH measurement, S. aureus enterotoxin and histamine levels were evaluated. Significant differences were evidenced for TBC, Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, Coliforms and pH between fishing areas. Staphylococcus aureus was detected in all the samples tested at 1 to 3 Log cfu/g; Staphylococcus warneri, S. saprophyticus, S. epidermidis, S. hominis, S. intermedius, S. vitulinus and S. sciuri were also identified. Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio cholera and Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin were not detected. Histamine ranged between 0 to 5 mg/kg. The tuna loins analysed in this paper have to be considered safe; staphylococci presence represents a possible concern and has to been taken in account when risk analysis is carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of indicators for the energetic - economic evaluation of the canned tuna canning process motivated the present work aimed at establishing those indicators that contribute to the establishment of benchmarking that serve as reference for the evaluation of this process. The methodology used combined, from the literature consulted, a method to determine the energetic efficiency of a pyrotubular steam generator with a procedure to calculate the cost of saturated steam generated by the system, and finally adapts the proposal of key indicators of performance for the improvement of an industry performance, establishing the indicators for the energetic - economic evaluation of the process under study. The main results showed that the consumption of specific steam was 1,142 t of steam/t of raw material, with a specific cost of 27,074 USD/t of raw material, concentrating 72.67% of steam consumption in cooking and sterilization processes. The implementation of the proposed indicators corroborated the relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the amount of histamine in canned fish samples collected from Belgrade retail stores using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry. In addition, the established levels were compared with the maximum levels set by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Union (EU) in order to assess the risk of this toxic biogenic amine to the city population. Histamine was detected in 54.07% of analyzed canned fish, in concentrations ranging from 5 to 420 mg/kg with a mean level of 60.91 mg/kg. In canned tuna, histamine levels ranged from 6 to 420 mg/kg, while in canned mackerel the concentrations ranged from 5 to 121 mg/kg. Also, the mean histamine level in canned tuna was higher than in canned mackerel (mean values were 60.91 mg/kg and 42.94 mg/kg, respectively). Among the tested canned fi sh, 20% of samples had higher histamine levels than the maximum level prescribed by the FDA (histamine levels >50 mg/kg), indicating definite decomposition of the fish. Histamine levels lower than 10 mg/kg were found in 51.48% of canned fish, which indicated good-quality fish products. Only 6.67% of examined production lots of canned fish had histamine levels above the regulatory limit according to the EU standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Se, Hg, and methylmercury (MeHg) levels in raw, cooked (boiled and grilled), and canned tuna ( Thunnus spp.) were determined before and after an in vitro digestion, thereby enabling the calculation of the respective bioaccessibility percentages. A risk–benefit evaluation of raw and canned tuna on the basis of the Se and MeHg data was performed. Selenium bioaccessibility was high in tuna, though slightly lower in canned than in raw products. Mercury levels were high in raw and cooked tuna. Hg bioaccessibility percentages were low (39–48%) in the cooked tuna and even lower (<20%) in canned tuna. For the bioaccessible fraction, all molar Se:MeHg ratios were higher than one (between 10 and 74). A probabilistic assessment of MeHg risk vs Se benefit showed that while a weekly meal of canned tuna presents very low risk, raw, boiled, and grilled tuna consumption should not exceed a monthly meal, at least, for pregnant and nursing women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring of food contamination from bisphenols is a necessary process for the consumers' risk assessment. A method for the quali-quantitative analysis of Bisphenol A (BPA), Bisphenol B (BPB), Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether (BADGE), and Bisphenol F Diglycidyl Ether (BFDGE), by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (LC-FD), was performed and validated for their determination in 33 samples of tuna fish, canned in either oil or aqueous medium. Samples were collected in Italian markets. Tuna and the correspondent preservation medium were analyzed separately. Detected levels of bisphenols ranged from 19.1 to 187.0 ng/g in tuna matrix and from 6.3 to 66.9 ng/mL in oil medium. No bisphenols were found in aqueous medium. At least one of the analytes was found in 83% of the tuna samples in oil medium, whereas tuna samples in aqueous medium showed BPA alone in 67% of samples. 21% of the oil medium samples resulted positive for at least one bisphenol. On the basis of measured concentrations and general daily ingestion rate of canned tuna fish, the probable daily intake of BPA for Italian population was calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surveillance for mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) contamination in tuna products is crucial for consumer food safety. Hg, Pb and Cd contaminants were monitored in a total of 60 specimens of fresh little tunny (Euthynnus alletteratus) and popular brands of skipjack and yellowfin (Katsuwonus pelamis and Thunnus albacares) canned tuna commercially available in Tripoli, Libya. Direct Mercury Analyzer (DMA-80) was implemented for determination of total Hg level and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) was employed for determination of Cd and Pb concentrations. The results indicated that Hg had the highest concentration level and Cd had the lowest concentration level either in tested canned tuna or fresh little tunny samples. The average concentration of Hg in fresh little tunny samples was 1.185 ± 0.968 mg kg-1 wet weight (ww) and often exceeded the standard permissible limit. In addition, canned yellowfin tuna had the lowest levels of Cd (0.027 ± 0.026 mg kg-1 ww), Pb (0.075 ± 0.071) and Hg (0.163 ± 0.122 mg kg-1 ww). Results of the current surveillance indicated that canned skipjack and yellowfin tuna sold in Tripoli markets show contaminant levels well under the European thresholds adopted for Cd, Pb and Hg. However, consumption of large quantities of Mediterranean little tunny products significantly increases human exposure to the risk of Hg toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melamine is widely used as a chemical in food industry and may lead to kidney damage. The aim of this study was to determine melamine and pH value of 80 canned tuna fish samples of four different brands (A, B, C, D) sold in Ankara, Turkey. Quantitative determination of melamine in canned tuna fish samples was carried out by capillary zone electrophoresis with diode array detector (CZE-DAD). The limits of detection and quantitation for melamine were found to be 0.21 mg kg-1 and 0.68 mg kg-1, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied for the analysis of melamine in canned tuna fish samples by mean recovery with 104.7% in oily and 107.6% for light samples. Melamine levels were found as <0.68 mg kg-1 (LOQ value) in all samples analysed during the period of the study. The mean pH values (±SE) of the samples for the A, B, C and D brands were determined to be 5.89 ± 0.02, 5.86 ± 0.01, 5.83 ± 0.02 and 5.82 ± 0.02, respectively. As a result, present study shows that the presence of melamine of canned tuna fish obtained during the period of study do not pose a health risk to consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of a study on the microbiological stability of canned tuna produced by Italian companies and similar canned products manufactured in countries outside Europe are reported herein. The study involved 38 samples of canned tuna of various brands, of which 14 were produced by companies outside Europe and 24 by Italian companies. Qualitative and quantitative microbiological tests were conducted for the following parameters: bacterial colony counts at 30°C, total coliforms, total Enterobacteriaceae, sulphite-reducing anaerobes, Salmonella spp., Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, yeasts and molds. Bacterial loads and mold contamination were respectivelyin found in 8/14 (57%) samples from outside EU and 7/24 (29%) Italian samples. The bacterial flora was represented by Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus warneri, Staphylococcus lentus, Streptococcus mitis, Enterococcus faecalis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides), Gram-negative bacteria (Sphingomonas paucimobilis, Acinetobacter iwoffii, Rhizobium radiobacter), spore-forming bacteria (Bacillus vallismortis), while the fungal species was represented by Penicillium spp., Rhizopus spp., Rhodotorula spp. and Alternaria spp. Excluding anomalies in the thermal treatment process of products and any contamination after treatment, the contaminations encountered in both cases were most likely due to insufficient production quality standards and the quality of the raw material used. These results may require a redefinition of the concept of commercial stability as hitherto stated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]